Daytona weary of baring carousers

DAYTONA BEACH -- City fathers are considering cracking down on spring breakers and bikers who flash their breasts or wear skimpy bikinis.

DAYTONA BEACH -- City fathers are considering cracking down on spring breakers and bikers who flash their breasts or wear skimpy bikinis.

City Council members postponed voting on an antinudity ordinance Wednesday night but plan to take it up in October after an effort to mediate a related dispute with adult clubs.

One of the goals of the ordinance, city officials said, is to make Daytona Beach more appealing to year-round family tourism rather than special events such as spring break, Bike Week and Black College Reunion. Women routinely expose their breasts during raucous street festivities at the special events that last from February through April.

Officials have said recently that the costs of hosting the events are overtaking the economic benefits from them in this city of 65,000.

"Public exposure of breasts was a pervasive problem during the spring break period this year," the ordinance proposal says. "Daytona Beach is struggling to improve its economic situation and that of its citizens and businesses by returning to an emphasis on family-oriented tourism."

The proposed law also takes aim at adult clubs that have flouted another city ordinance prohibiting nudity at establishments that sell liquor. Some adult clubs have gotten around the law by separating the areas where alcohol is served and where exotic dancers perform. Nightclub owners have challenged other city efforts to restrict where they can do business. A federal judge last week ruled in favor of the owners, saying the city wasn't offering enough locations.

The proposed ordinance goes into intricate detail in spelling out exactly what's off limits. It outlaws the exposure of genitals by both sexes, the exposure of certain parts of women's breasts, and requires that a third of the buttocks be covered for both sexes.

Forbidden swimwear would include G-strings, T-backs, "dental floss" and thongs.

Maximum punishment is a $500 fine and 60 days in jail.

Exceptions are made for "bona fide" live performances and other circumstances where being nude can't be prohibited because of constitutional issues.

The measure wasn't being embraced by Bike Week fans such as Eddie Colosimo, who hosts a nude campground on his Volusia County property during Bike Week and Biketoberfest. The campground, outside Daytona Beach, wouldn't be affected.

"What an absolute joke," Colosimo said. "We've got a bunch of people who instead of representing the feelings of the public are pushing their own agendas and shoving it down everybody's throats."